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US National Park Pass Price Increase for Seniors

These are the most frequented parks and the most crowded. The fee increase is a "free market" attempt to ration visitors by pricing. You cut demand by raising the price. Of course it is of no consequence whatsoever to the wealthy and a distinct burden on the working class.
 
Another link to the proposal, including current and proposed rates: Fact Sheet and Current and Proposed Fee Rates Spreadsheet.pdf

I'd expect the new rates to be out of reach for some, reducing park usage and maintenance needs, which is probably the main goal at these high-traffic parks. No question that the entire NP system needs better maintenance. Yellowstone, Everglades and Mesa Verde all looked sadly worn-down when I (re)visited a couple years ago. I wish there was a better solution.
 
Hits 4 of the 5 National Parks here in UT. $50 to ride your bike from Springdale, UT through the corner of Zion’s NP to Mt. Carmel Junction and on to Bryce. I don’t fault the NPS; they are just trying to find a way to fund deferred maintenance and handle increased user traffic after being chronically underfunded and understaffed.

Best,
DG

I think your fee you pay is for however many parks you enter in the time period you pay for.

One of the advantages of becoming old is you get one of these. The price has gone up, but you quickly recoup your entrance fees from the earlier years by using one of these.

senior-parks.jpg


Chris
 
I think your fee you pay is for however many parks you enter in the time period you pay for.

One of the advantages of becoming old is you get one of these. The price has gone up, but you quickly recoup your entrance fees from the earlier years by using one of these.

senior-parks.jpg


Chris

I have that, and it’s great, but that doesn’t help the working-age stiff who is humping two jobs to pay the bills and try to have a shot at taking his kids camping in a National Park—which are supposedly owned by all US citizens. ☹️

DG
 
Another link to the proposal, including current and proposed rates: Fact Sheet and Current and Proposed Fee Rates Spreadsheet.pdf

I'd expect the new rates to be out of reach for some, reducing park usage and maintenance needs, which is probably the main goal at these high-traffic parks. No question that the entire NP system needs better maintenance. Yellowstone, Everglades and Mesa Verde all looked sadly worn-down when I (re)visited a couple years ago. I wish there was a better solution.

Of course there is a better solution: appropriate sufficient funds to maintain our national treasures. And the rest of our neglected infrastructure too. Why is that too much to expect?
 
I think your fee you pay is for however many parks you enter in the time period you pay for.

Unfortunately the entrance fee is per park, and covers one to seven days at that one park. One exception is at the adjoining Grand Teton & Yellowstone Parks, where you get a slight break on a combined pass, if you purchase it on entry to the first park.

I do not see any plans to change the cost of the America the Beautiful Interagency Annual Pass ($80) for non-seniors, which covers all parks for an entire year. That will become a more attractive option for anyone who thinks they might visit another national park that year, possibly even encouraging more park use.
 
When you pick up your senior pass, be sure to get stickers for your bikes and open trucks.

I received six free stickers for my bikes. They are good until 12-31-2018, then you need to go in and get them replaced free annually.

Still a heck of a deal at $80.
 
When you pick up your senior pass, be sure to get stickers for your bikes and open trucks.

I received six free stickers for my bikes. They are good until 12-31-2018, then you need to go in and get them replaced free annually.

Still a heck of a deal at $80.

This is the first I've heard of stickers. I assume these are to satisfy the need to display the pass, without exposing the pass to theft?
 
A few years ago on a wandering to Daytona Bike Week trip I bought my $10 Pass at a State Park in GA. (Okefenokee Swamp) where they honored NP Passes. Good for the State of GA ! The desk there said there was a $5 State Park fee or I could have a NP Pass for $10.

I'll take stuff when it is priced for seniors, but I honestly think that it's not fair to all when the "Government" charges you a fee to stand on property that we already own. I think that all Parks should be FREE (or $2 maximum per vehicle or $2 /person). A family should not be shut out because they cannot afford to see property they already own. And the same for State Parks. Nothing ruins a stop more than "that will be $4 (reasonable) to $10 to sit at that picnic table for 15 minutes".

My opinion is that a 700% increase in a fee/cost says poor Management and Planning by people that we are paying to do just that.

Charlie
 
I bought my senior pass a couple years ago, and asked about the sticker. They gave me a one-year sticker to put on the bike. The next year, I stopped in at the ranger station and they said they didn't use stickers. Apparently the first ranger was just trying to come up with a solution.

When I went through about 8 or 9 national parks this summer, the only thing I was required to do was produce the pass with photo ID as I entered. The ranger said that once through the gate, put it all away for safe-keeping.

Chris
 
... I honestly think that it's not fair to all when the "Government" charges you a fee to stand on property that we already own. I think that all Parks should be FREE (or $2 maximum per vehicle or $2 /person). ...

My opinion is that a 700% increase in a fee/cost says poor Management and Planning by people that we are paying to do just that.

Well...we may own the land but there is a cost to provide the infrastructure to support the parks...visitor centers, restrooms, trash collection, roads, rangers, etc, etc. Someone has to pay for that. I suppose it could all come out of the general fund but would it really be fair for everyone to basically subsidize those who use the parks? Actually, that's probably what's been happening with the $10 senior passes for years.

Another issue is that the national parks have been way underfunded for many years so there's a lot of deferred maintenance, etc. that eventually has to be paid for. I think that's probably a bigger issue than the 'poor Management and Planning by people that we are paying to do just that', they're not the ones appropriating the money.

Seventy bucks for basically a lifetime pass is not a bad deal at all.

Anyway, my $0.02 worth...
 
Well...we may own the land but there is a cost to provide the infrastructure to support the parks...visitor centers, restrooms, trash collection, roads, rangers, etc, etc. Someone has to pay for that. I suppose it could all come out of the general fund but would it really be fair for everyone to basically subsidize those who use the parks? Actually, that's probably what's been happening with the $10 senior passes for years.

Another issue is that the national parks have been way underfunded for many years so there's a lot of deferred maintenance, etc. that eventually has to be paid for. I think that's probably a bigger issue than the 'poor Management and Planning by people that we are paying to do just that', they're not the ones appropriating the money.

Seventy bucks for basically a lifetime pass is not a bad deal at all.

Anyway, my $0.02 worth...

:thumb
 
Of course there is a better solution: appropriate sufficient funds to maintain our national treasures. And the rest of our neglected infrastructure too. Why is that too much to expect?

Didn't see a like button but fully agree. Our national treasures should be funded, and not up for raping by a dysfunctional congress that can only see short term financial gain without planning for long term costs like site clean-up after the land has been pillaged. Simple corporate rape of our American treasures.
 
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